


Yes Virginia, This is An Advent Calendar

by starspangledmeatball



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Advent Calendar, Christmas, F/M, Tony is over the top
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-06 17:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 3,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5425247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starspangledmeatball/pseuds/starspangledmeatball
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark has been feeling like he hasn't shown Pepper how much he loves and appreciates her. So, he takes a page out of his childhood and sets her up an advent calendar. Each day, a new present awaits her. There's a point to them Pepper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Advent Calendar

**Author's Note:**

> I am getting allergy shots today so there will be many chapters posted today. I'm hoping to finish this before Christmas. The chapters won't be very long but I'm hoping to keep them sweet.

Tony Stark was nothing until Virginia Potts came along.

Well…. not nothing, he was a genius, billionaire, playboy. But, he felt like nothing. Every personal assistant that came along ended up in Tony’s bed within the first week and in the papers the second, raving about how crazy he was and how they couldn’t stand to work for him.

Then, there was Pepper. Tony could still remember her first day. 

_There came a knock at the door._

“ _Yeah?” Tony called out._

_In walked a tall, woman with firey red hair. “Mr. Stark, I’m your new assistant, Virginia Potts.”_

_"Virginia?” he smirked. “Isn’t there a nickname to go with that?”_

_“Seeing as I am not your friend,” she replied coolly, “No.”_

_Tony blinked in surprise. No one had ever spoken to him like that since Nanny number 4 and his mother. “Well then Ms. Potts, shall we get started?” he attempted to put back the suave demeanor women couldn’t resist._

_“Of course,” she smiled before sitting at her desk. “You have a meeting today at 3 with the board of directors, a lunch with Obadiah Stane at 1, and I’m told that you have contracts to go over.”_

_At this, Tony couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “I like you, Potts.”_

Now, it was more than just like. He had been dating Pepper for a couple years now and the whole Ultron fiasco had him thinking. Well, he’d been thinking since he’d almost lost Pepper to Rudolph the Rednose time bomb.

It was almost December and Tony wanted to do something special for her. More special than a giant, floppy-eared rabbit.

He had just finished setting up the shelves in the common area of Avengers Tower, in order to make this work, Tony personally had Jarvis shift all of Pepper’s meetings to be next month so that she could have December free to be with him.

“Tony, what are you doing?” Clint walked in with Natasha, both stared at the elaborate shelving system that now covered up the bar area.

“It’s an advent calendar,” Tony replied, as if it were obvious. 

"Couldn’t you just buy one of the cardboard ones with chocolate or liquor?” Natasha asked.

“No, this is for Pepper,” Tony began placing the white and gold wrapped presents in each shelf, making sure that they were in the correct slot. “It has to be special.”

“Okay buddy, just make sure there aren’t any giant stuffed animals, this time,” Clint said, shuddering at the memory of the creepy teddy bear that showed up last Valentine’s Day. He was pretty sure that, whoever made it, played too much Five Nights at Freddy’s.

“No,” Tony had to pause at the memory as well. It was pretty creepy. “This is much better.”

"We’ll be sure to stay out of the way then,” Natasha nudged Clint before leaving the room.

Tony stepped back to make sure the lights were glinting off the presents just right. He knew Pepper loved to make things pretty, and that she’d be more willing to go along with this if it looked nice.

There was no way she’d be able to say no.


	2. December 1st

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper opens her first advent gift.

_December 1st._

Pepper came downstairs that morning to get her tea, before she headed down to the gym for yoga.

She paused and backtracked when she saw the multi-tiered shelves, glinting with presents.

“Hey,” Tony grinned at her, sitting in an armchair that was set up by the shelves. “

Tony, what is this?” Pepper wasn’t sure if she should be excited or worried about the presents.

“It’s an advent calendar, Pep. We had them each year when I was a kid and I wanted to make one for you.”

“Oh Tony,” She sighed, sounding somewhere between touched and exasperated. 

"Open your first present,” he urged, pulling down a box marked with a 1 in gold marker.

Pepper tentatively took the gift and pulled at the ribbon. “Who wrapped these?”

“Me and Bruce. Jolly Green Giant is actually pretty good with tying ribbons. He offered to help after DUM-E decided he didn’t need scissors… or tape.”

Pepper chuckled and tore off the wrapper and popped open the plain brown box that lay underneath. She reached inside and pulled out…

A jar of dirt.

“Dirt.”

“There’s going to be a point to all of these, I promise.”

She looked at him. “Dirt.”

“Yeah, but look inside the dirt.”

Pepper grimaced at the thought of getting dirt under her perfectly manicured nails.

She hadn’t touched dirt since she left the family farm to go to college in New York. Any dirt she touched nowadays had to be imported and in a spa.

Something in Tony’s face, though, helped her brush that aside and so she swallowed her pride, unscrewed the jar, and reached in, digging around until her nail hit something hard.

She grasped it and pulled out a small, round stone the deepest blue anyone had ever seen. Lapis Lazuli, her mind supplied. “Oh Tony, it’s beautiful,” she sighed.

"Just wait, they’re all gonna get better as the days go by.”

Pepper smiled and pecked him on the lips before rubbing her cheek against the scruff of his beard.

“I can’t wait.”


	3. December 2nd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of the Advent gifts

_December 2nd_

Pepper eagerly headed downstairs the next morning, excited to see what he got her. She wondered what Tony meant yesterday by each present meaning something.

Once more, Tony was waiting by the advent calendar.

“Ready for day two?” he asked.

Pepper nodded and found the shelf marked with a number 2 and pulled the present down.

This one was significantly bigger than yesterday’s. She glanced at the presents and noticed some that seemed pretty big.

“No stuffed animals, right?”

Tony rolled his eyes, “No. Clint and Natasha already asked.”

Pepper sighed with relief and opened today’s gift. “A globe?”

“It gets better. Talk to it.”

Pepper gave him a puzzled look. She pulled the globe out of the box and held it aloft.

“Hello, globe?”

The globe lit up in an array of colors before going dim. Pepper paused and leaned into it once more, “I love the gift, Tony.”

The globe flashed red and gold before settling into a warm, white light.

Pepper smiled. “I take it you set this up?”

Tony shrugged and nodded. 

"Very sweet.”

"Glad you like it.”


	4. December 3rd

_December 3rd._

Pepper had to use all of her willpower to not get Jarvis to move the elevator twice as fast. She hadn't been this excited for presents since she was a child. 

Today she didn't see Tony. She didn't want to open the present without him there. Seeing the love in his eyes when she opened the presents filled her with butterflies of glee.

And she wasn't about to miss it today.

She grabbed present three and set up the stairs to the lab.

"Tony?"

She found him passed out at his workshop table.

_Oh, Tony._

She set the box down and nudged his shoulder. "Wake up, Tony."

"Five more minutes," he mumbled.

"Don't you want to see me open my present?" She teased, more than willing to wait until later.

He groggily lifted his head. "Yes, open it."

"Okay," then you go take a nap in a proper bed.

"Yes ma'am, Ms. Potts," he smiled sleepily.

Pepper opened the box and pulled out a small black cylinder on top of a pedestal. She examined it and pressed a button. The screen lit up showing a fireplace, heat began flowing out of it.

"You have a cold office," Tony mumbled. He had a mischeivous glint in his eye but she couldn't understand why.

"Thank you Tony. I'll use it at work today," she smiled.

"Keep those hands warm."

"I will."

 


	5. December 4th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected gift

_December 4th_

This morning, Tony and Pepper woke up together. It rarely happened ever since the battle of New York. After he talked to her Pepper didn't push him as much, she still pressured him to see a therapist (Bruce doesn't count, Tony). 

He resisted for months, but she suspected the Wednesdays he disappeared weren't spent at Radio Shack.

You're thinking loudly," Tony said, nuzzling her hand.

"I always think loudly, you just don't listen," she teased.

"Ready to see present number four?"

"Mmm... not yet." Pepper spooned him closer and kissed his shoulder, "It's nice waking up next to you."

"We should try it more often," Tony said, rolling around to face her.

"I'd like that," she replied before kissing him tenderly.

A few hours later, the couple headed downstairs for breakfast and Gift 4.

Tony, handed her a small box. "I'll make you one of those eggwhite omelettes you like. I learned how to separate an egg after binge watching Worst Cooks in America."

"Sounds good," Pepper didn't care much for Tony's cooking, but she appreciated the thought nonetheless.

While Tony was in the kitchen, Pepper found the fourth gift. Her heart leapt when she saw the small size of the box.

_So soon?_

Her hear drummed in her chest and she tore open the gift, she flicked open the box to find a rubber duckie dressed as Iron Man.

_Seriously._

Pepper quashed her disappointment and examined the gift. It was adorable, not what she expected but adorable nonetheless.

"Guess we need to take a bath tonight, huh?" she called out.

"Make good use of your gift."

"Did I hear that right?" Clint walked in adjusting his hearing aids.

Pepper faced him and held up the gift. "It's a bath toy."

"Awww, it looks just like him." Clint cooed.

Tony walked into the room his hands coated with egg yolk. I had to search through three bins to find it. 

"Oh, poor baby," Clint smirked. "I hope to find a Hawkeye one in my stocking this Christmas." He turned and left.

"I'll stuff them in your closet, Legolas," Tony muttered.

"Tony don't. Save it for April Fools'" Pepper didn't normally condone pranks but she could see the humor in them. Seeing Clint finding rubber duckies everywhere he turned was too funny an image to pass up.

He cracked up and pecked her cheek. "Let me get you that omelette."


	6. December 5th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :)

_December 5th._

Pepper made her way to the common area, wondering about todays gift. She wondered if it was going to be thoughtful or weird. She spent part of last night writing down ideas about how the gifts were connected but so far she had no ideas that made sense.

Today a note sat on top of the coffee table.

_Emergency. There's been a terrorist attack. Open your present without me and I'll be home as soon as possible._

_-Tony_

Pepper sighed and tossed the note back on the table. A hero's job is never done.

She tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and scanned the shelves for gift 5. After she found it, she opened it revealing a box full of puzzle pieces

She sat at the coffee table, tucked her legs, and dumped the pieces out. She didn't know what it was supposed to be of, so she started off with the border.

A few hours later she put the final piece in. Her heart melted when she saw the completed picture. It was a painting of that night she and Tony danced at the charity ball.

She figured he must have gotten Steve's help to paint it.

"Jarvis, is there a place where I can get this glued and framed?"

_Yes Ms. Potts. I can have it sent out today._

"I'd like that, thank you," she replied. She stood up and brushed invisible dirt off her skirt before heading down to her office to get the days work done.


	7. December 6th

_December 6th._

When Pepper woke that morning, she received a message from JARVIS telling her that Tony should be back by 5 and that she should be dressed up nice. She would also get to open her present when he gets home.

Relieved that he'd be home, Pepper headed to her office floor to work for the day. She looked over contracts and had video chat meetings with businesses that she was supposed to be travelling to face-to-face but someone had mysteriously moved those meetings to next months.

At 4, she allowed her assistants to go home and she traveled up the elevator to her floor to get ready. She wasn't exactly sure what Tony meant by "nice". She figured it better to dress too fancy than to not be fancy enough.

After a shower she put on a fresh layer of make-up and looped her hair in a chignon. She stood inside her closet for a good 23 minutes before choosing a slinky gold dress with a black lace overlay. She paired it with a thick pair of tights and 5 inch tall, gold Louis Vuittons. After deciding to accessorize with a gold bracelet with crystal beads and a lovely pair of diamond earrings, JARVIS announced the arrival of Tony.

She headed downstairs hoping that he wouldn't be injured. The last pieces of his Iron Man suit were peeled away, revealing a sharp black tuxedo underneath.

"Ready for your gift?"

"I'd be happy if just you dressed up like this was my gift."

"Double gift then," he decided and gestured to the shelves.

Pepper went over and found an envelope in shelf 6. She ripped it open and pulled out two tickets. "We're going to the ballet?" she nearly squealed. "You hate the ballet."

"But you don't."

She leapt into his arms and planted a sound kiss on his cheek.

"I also have a reservation at Sardi's we don't want to miss."

Pepper looped her arm with his. "Looks like you might be getting an early gift tonight."

To y grinned and they left.

_After the Ballet_

"I am so sorry but that was just weird."

"It's not your fault Tony, you didn't know that they'd try to make it into a comedy."

"It's a ballet, even I know what one is supposed to look like."

This particular rendition of the Nutcracker was just plain weird. Dancers with giant sheeps heads and that random dog just didn't fit.

"The burping lamb was amusing." Pepper tried.

"No it wasn't."

"No, but I thought I'd try."

"I promise tomorrow will be better."

"You're spoiling me."

"You deserve to be spoiled." He said kissing her cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually saw a ballet where they made it into a comedy. It sucked and it was weird.


	8. December 7th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony hopes today's present goes better than the ballet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My arms hurt but I'm done with shots. I'm under observation for two hours now.

_December 7th_

Today, Tony presented Pepper's gift to her in bed alongside a tray with an omelette and a steaming mug of tea.

"Sorry about last night," he said.

"I already told you, it's the thought that counts. Maybe we can send in Natasha and she'll fix it. You know how passionate she is about ballet."

Tony did know. Everyone knew after she attacked a man who broke the ankle of the first black woman playing Odette in Swan Lake. She was pissed and made sure the girl got the best medical treatment.

She deserved her moment in the spotlight, according to Natasha.

Pepper sipped her tea before opening the small rectangular package. She pulled the top off the velvet box and gasped.

Inside lay a purple crystal orchid brooch, layong on top of satin cushions. It was gorgeous and it sparkled when she held it up.

"It's gorgeous. I love orchids."

"I know," he smiled and kissed the top of her head.


	9. December 8th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 8th day of advent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those shots really f**king hurt. Damn!  
> This chapter contains graphic scenes of being sick. The gift will be at the end of the chapter.

_December 8th._

 

That morning around 4am, Pepper woke with a horrible pain in her stomach. She got out of bed and dizziness consumed her. She tottered to the bathroom and just barely made it to the toilet in time to empty her stomach contents out.

_Ms. Potts, I have just alerted Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark._

Pepper could only groan in reply. She felt her bowels empty and the rotten stench filled the air.

Tony burst in and gagged. "Pep!"

_She has a fever, she's vomiting, and she has diarrhea sir._

"Yeah, no shit." Tony got the shower going and he ran about the apartment gathering fresh clothes, towels, and washclothes, at Bruce's calm instruction.

Pepper let out a pitiful moan.

After getting her cleaned and setting her up on the toilet, with a bowl in her lap. Tony sat while her body expelled toxins from both ends. After 2 hours, Bruce came in with an anti-nausea shot. 

"This will stop the vomiting," he explained, then he injected it into her hip.

Tony helped Pepper into her favorite silk pajamas, the red ones, and then tucked her in bed.

"Tonyyyy," Pepper's eyes were glazed over and she writhed with discomfort.

"Hey, you still gotta open today's present," he looked pleadingly at Bruce, silently asking him to go get it.

Once Bruce left, Tony allowed himself to show his fear. His cool, composed Pepper was sick and he couldn't do anything. He'd never seen her like this, and it scared him to wit's end.

When Bruce returned, Tony unwrapped the present and pressed the metal to Pepper's hand. "It's an anchor." He explained.

"Taking me on a cruise?" she attempted to focus on him with one eye.

"Sure, whenever you want."

"Bahamas," she sighed and dozed off, the medicine kicking in.

"Yeah, Bahamas, Tahiti, Canary Islands, Croatia, wherever you want." He kissed her sweat plastered forehead and settled in the chair beside her.


	10. December 9th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper is sick but Tony is determined to keep her gifts coming.

_December 9th._

Pepper still had a fever.

"If it gets worse then we'lll need to take her to the hospital," Bruce said.

"I've never seen her like this before Bruce, I don't want to lose her."

Bruce placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. "It's just a stomach bug, as long as we keep her drinking water and Gatoraide she should be okay in a week or two."

"I still worry."

If Bruce was surprised by this confession, he didn't show it.

Why don't you give her her next gift when she wakes up. She'd want you to carry on like normal. Don't want her to worry, now.

"Yeah," Tony rubbed his face with his hand. "I'll go get it." He stood and exited the room.

Bruce sat by Pepper and helped her sip some water through a straw.

"Tony?" she asked.

"He's getting your gift," Bruce smiled. "Wouldn't want to break the cycle."

Pepper huffed weakly in amusement and settled back on the pillows. "Maybe a puppy."

"Nah, he didn't feed the turtle, so why get a puppy."

This made Pepper more alert. "What Turtle?"

Tony came in with the largest box from the shelves. "Oh good, you're awake. How are you feeling Pep?"

"Not very Peppery," she attempted to joke. "That for me?"

"Yeah, here. Gift number nine."

He helped her open the box and set it on the bed so she could see.

"You're not asking me to move out, are you?" She smiled.

"Never."

Pepper closed her eyes. "I love pink"

"I know."

Tony pushed the pink suitcase with gold hearts underneath the bed for safe storage. "Get some rest sweetheart."

"Mmhmm" her eyes were already closing to a heavy sleep.


	11. December 10th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper is feeling a bit better

_December 10th_

Pepper slowly opened her eyes, trying to fight the fog that hung around her head. her stomach still felt like it was in a battle between lead and air, her ears rung, and her mouth felt like she'd been eating cotton.

A weight on her arm drew her to focus more on her surroundings. She slowly lifted her head. With his head on her arm, a rumpled looking Tony slept.

_He stayed by me all this time._ she felt her heart swell with love. So many people thought of Tony as selfish, but when it came to his loved ones, he truly cared. Sure, he forgot about her strawberry allergy, but he remembered Happy liked Downton Abbey and made sure the nurses played it for him when he was at the hospital.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in," Pepper called out hoarsely.

Natasha slunk in holding a gift wrapped in gold and topped with an ornate, white bow. "Thought you might want gift number 10. Tony didn't sleep the whole time you were out of it."

"He doesn't sleep anyway," Pepper pointed out.

"It's different when it's caused by worry."

Pepper pursed her lips and stared down at the gift the spy had placed in her hands. "Did he tell you what all this means?"

"No," Natasha turned to leave. "But from an outsiders perspective it isn't hard to figure out." She shot Pepper a short smile before shutting the door behind herself.

Pepper, curiousity piqued, slid off the ribbon and lifted the lid off the box. She reached in and pulled out a heavy metronome with a silver needle. She flicked it on.

_**TOC. TOC. TOC.** _

Tony bleated and jumped awake at the noise.

Pepper shushed the toy. "Sorry."

He yawned and stretched. "Are you feeling okay?"

She nodded. "Much better than yesterday, almost well enough to go to work."

"Uh-uh," he shook his finger. "You, Ms. Potts, are going to stay here and eat rice cakes until you can do a cartwheel."

"Tony, I never could do a cartwheel."

"You know what I mean," he pecked the top of her head. "I'm going to have Jarvis make you some tea and I will go make you a bath."

She smiled, touched. "Can't wait."


End file.
